Arch support



March 8, 1932.

A. s. WORKMAN 1,848,984

ARCH SUPPORT Filed March 22, 1950 WITNESS INVENTOR 462 hrzmam 4 ATTORNEY Maia.

the wearer.

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 V ALFRED S. WORKMAN, OF GLENWOOD, IOWA. I

ARCH SUPPORT My invention relates to supports, more particularly to supports for supporting the arches of the human foot and consists in the combinations, arrangements and construc- F tions herein shown and described. H Numerous attempts have been made to provide an arch support which will flexibly support the arch of the foot and which will not wear out or be crushed easily by the foot of Many materials have been used in these attempts to "provide such an arch support, such as, metal, leather'and rubber. In the use of metal or othersimilar material for providing the flexibility of the support,

it has been found that the edges of the same when arched sufiiciently to flex under the weight of the foot engage the shank portion of the shoe in which the support is positioned and by constantly flexing backward and for- 29 ward thereon acquire a sharp edge which cuts into said shank with consequent rapid deterioration thereof. Also in these cases where metal or. other similar material is used for providing the flexible arched sup- I port it has been found that the continued flexing andunflexing ofsaid metal part .or

other ri id ortion for rovidin stren th b D b for the support breaks this metal or other similar material or reduces its flexibility with a consequent loss of resiliency in its operation. 7 In cases where the rubber or leather alone have been used the weight of the wearer.

I has crushed said rubber or leather and often transmitted the forces caused by the weight to provide an arch support that will flexibly and adjustably support the archesofthe wearer and at the same time have suflicient strength to support the weight of said wearer, that will not cut, wear or. otherwise deteriorate the shank or otherv portion of the shoe and will not subject the parts made of metal or other similar material to such forces 5 and strains caused by flexing and unflexing 'tion will be more of the wearer to the shank of the shoe in such I Application filed March 22, :1930. Serial No. 438,080.

PATENT; OF ICE of said parts that the same willbe vbroken or otherwise hampered in their efficiency In the use of metal and other similar materials for the construction of, the support, the tender nerve and blood centers of the arch when in what'is known as a falling rcondi tion cannot stand contactagainst the hard surface. For this reason arch supports so constructed must be lowered to sucha degree that little support for the correctionof the defective arch condition is supplied. It is,

therefore, a further object of my invention to provide a device'of the type described'in which the use of a varied amount of resilient material is provided for easy contactwith the arch of the foot of the wearer making it possible to set the arch higher Without discomfort, thus providing an automatic up-wardmassaging effect to the afllicted portion of the arch, which makes for quicker correction and restoration ofthe arch to itsnormal condition, and which further adapts the device to the weight of the user. a

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described 'wh'ig'zh' has few parts, is simple to manufacture and does not get out of order easily.

Other objects and advantageswill appear as the specification proceeds and the invenparticularly 7 defined in the appended claims. 1

My device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which v e 1 a Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device, I Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device,

Figure 3 is an elevational' view of thede 'vice,

.Figure 4 is a sectional View on line H of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 'is a sectional view on line of Figure 2. g I

In carrying out my invention, I make use of an element 1 which I term the shank engaging element, which is formedv to clos'ely and snugly engage the shank'ofa shoe with no greater arching of this portion than necessary to so engage said shank. Thiselement may be formed of metal or any other material vcr suitable to provide a stiff, rigid and strong member. It is designed to furnish the main support of the remaining portions of the arch support. This shank engaging member 1 may be secured to said shank member if desired by any suitable means, such as, nails engageable therethrough or any other suitable; mea-nsnot shown. I V

For lending strength to the shank engaging member, as well as providing an air ocket between said shank en 'a im member and the shank of the shoe, the shank engaging element 1 is provided w1th a r1b struck up' wardly therem and providing a protuberance 3 on the u er suriace and ads ression or PP P pocket ion the lower surface thereof. As shown'most clearly in Figure 2 this rib is at the transverse center of the shank engaging element and runs substantially throughout the arch portion 5thfereof As w ll be most clearfrom' an exaniinationot F ire 3, the portionsfi and 'Z of this element 1 adjacent the arch portion 5'extfend substantially horizontal, thus providing smooth surfaces for engagement with the shank portion with no downwardly extending sharp edges which would cut or otherwise mutilate the shank portion, duringjtheflexing and null "ng of the element l during operation. It will also beevident that the element l-extends substantially over the entire width of the shank portion of the shoe in which it is mounted, thereby providing an even distribution of the force exerted by the weight ofthe wearer throughthiselement 1 onto the shank portion ottheshoe.

For engagement .with the foot of the wearer, the element 8 which l'term the arch engaging element is provided. This element is mad of leather or any. similar or other suitable'materialand is formedto snugly engage the arch of the foot of the wearer. This element 8 is of greater extent thantheelement 1, thus covering saidjelement 1 and protecting the foot oft-he wearer from any contact therewith and from consequent injury which might beincurred by said contact.

To flexibly and resiliently support the arch, I secure between the .elementsl and 8 acushioning, member 9 which may be formed of. rubber, orany similar orcsuitable material. This member 9 extends substantially throughout the length and breadth of the element 1,thereby assuring a smooth cushion.- ing of theelement 8 on said element- 1. It may be secured to either said element 1, the element, 8 ,or left unsecured, as: desired. In this embodiment, I show this cushionin means gluedor otherwise suitably. connected to the membe 8-.

My device is equipped .110 vary the amount ofthecushioning force/existing, between elements ,1 and, 8. by utilizing any, desired nume bjerof auxiliary cushionmg, pads. or elements, suchasthat shown at lObetween theelements 1 and 8 or as shown between the elements 1 and 9. It is easily seen that the insertion and removal of these auxiliary pads augments or decreases the resiliency offered by the element 8 to the foot of the wearer. These members 10 as shown most clearly in Figure- 5 engage with the rib 3 in what is substantially aslotand tongue joint and are thereby guided or secured in position during the flexing and unfiexing movements of the various parts; 1 .I

vFor permitting the ready insertion and revmovalof the auxiliary cushioning elements 10 between the elements 1 and 8 or the elements 1 and't) said elements 1 and 8 are fixedly secured at only one end, in this case, the rear end as indicated at 11. This connection may consist of any desired or suitable means but is shown as comprising a rivet 12 engageable through the elements 8 and 1. This rivet 12 can also be engaged through the cushioning member 9"to further secure the same to the element 8 if desired. t isobvious that this iorm'or" connection jpermitsthe member 8 to be hinged about the connection 11 away from the element 1 when the opposite ends of the elements 1 and'8 are disconnected.

The opposite or forward ends of the ele ments 1 andB and the element 9, if desired, may be releasably aiiixed to one another by any suitable means. In this form of the invention, 1 show a simple latch meansv comprising a slotted portion 13 in the element'l having an enlarg'ed'portion 1 1 and a reduced portion 15. This slotted portion 13 is adapted for the reception through the enlarged portion 1 1 thereof of a stud 16 consisting in the device shown as a rivet engageable through the element 8 and the element 9 if desired. c v

As appears in Figure 1 this stud or projecting member 16 has ahead portion 17 thereon which is ofsufiiciently small diameter to pass through the enlarged portion 1 1 ofthe slotted portion 13 but is of a size too great to pass through the reduced portion 15 thereof. This head portion 17 engages the parts of the undersurtace of the element 1 adjacent the reduced portion 15- of the slot for limiting upward movement of said studrelative to the member 1. The undersurface of the element 1 may be undercut adjacent'thi's slotted portion 13 to engage the head 17 so that the same will rest in. a position substantially flush with the bottom surface of said element 1, thus providing for a smooth engagement of said surface with the shank portion of the shoe. The reduc'edportion 15 of the slotted part 13, is elongated as shown in Figure 2 to provide for the reception 0% the stud 16 therein upon the flexing and unflexing of the member 8 relative to the part 1.

From the foregoing description, the use and operation of myfdevice is easily. understood. The, operator decides upon the amount of resiliency desired and inserts between the elements 1 and 8 or 1 and 9 the number of auxiliary pads 10 necessary. If he desires no more resilient'cushioning than is supplied by the element 9, the insertion of the auxiliary pad 10 may be dispensed with. He then inserts the stud 16 through the enlarged portion 14 of the slot 13 until the head 17 of said stud 16 projects below the apertured portion 14 and is in a substantial plane with the undersurface of the element 1. He then presses on the element 8 or otherwise forces the stud 16 forwardly in the slot 13 into the reduced portion 15 of said slot. The entire device is then inserted in the shoe with the undersurface of the element 1 engaging the shank portion of said shoe, and secured to said shank portion by fasteners or other suitable means, which in the device shown may engage through the apertures 18. Thus positioned, the device is set up for operation.

During the flexing and unflexing movements of the member 8 or the members 8 and 9, the stud 16 as heretofore set forth will reciprocate in the slot 13, thus preventing any strain which might cause deterioration and loosening of the fixed fastening means 11 or other fastening means which might be utilized. The portions 6 and 7 of the element 1, because of their broad flat surfaces 19 and 20 respectively will evenly distribute the weight of the wearer without cutting or otherwise mutilating the shank or other portion of the shoe supporting said parts.

When desired the operator has only to remove the stud from the slot 13 to permit ready access to the space between the elements 1 and 8 to add to or subtract from the amount of resilient material between said elements.

It is thus seen that I have provided an arch support which utilizes metal or other rigid material to furnish the main support,

to re-inforce the shank and to take up the wear incident to slippage between the arch support and the shank portion of the shoe, and which further so shapes the metal memher that it snugly engages the shank and does not flex relative thereto with consequent decrease in flexibility in the member and possible breakage thereof.

It is also seen that I have provided an arch support which, though it utilizes metal or other similar rigid material to furnish the main support of the arch, further provides a resilient means for taking up the flexing and unflexing movements imparted to the arch 'supportby the arch of the wearer.

It can also further be easily seen that I have provided a device of the type described which is easily adjustable as regards the amount of cushioning offered thereby to the arch of the wearer.

What is claimed is 1. An arch support comprising a substantially flat rigid member for engagement with the shank of a shoe, a substantially flexible member for engagement with the foot of a wearer, a cushioning member interposed between said two first named members, said two first named members having a hinged connection at one of their ends, and a releasable connection at the other of their ends for the ready insertion and removal of said cushioning member, said releasable connection comprising a slotted portion in one of said members and a projecting stud in the other of said members for engagement with said slot.

2. An arch support comprising a substantially flat rigid member for engagement with the shank of a shoe, a substantially flexible member for engagement with the'foot of a wearer, and cushioning means interposed 36tW611 said two first named members, said two first named members being hingedly related at one of their ends and having a slot and tongue connection at the other of their ends for the ready insertion and removal of said cushioning member, the slot of said connection having an enlarged and a reduced portion and the tongue of said connection having a head engageable through said enlarged portion and with the walls of the member having the slot adjacent said reduced portion for securing said tongue in said slot.

ALFRED s. WORKMAN. 

